Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active aero flap apparatus for a muffler mounted at an undercarriage of a vehicle, and more particularly to, an active aero flap apparatus having a variable structure, as an apparatus for improving aerodynamics of a vehicle through upgrade of a mounting structure of an undercarriage mounted at a lower part of a floor panel of the vehicle, in which the active aero flap apparatus is disposed at a side end of a main muffler to actively cover or uncover the side end of the main muffler. During a constant speed section having low temperature for prioritizing fuel efficiency, the active aero flap apparatus covers the side end of the main muffler, whereas during a high speed section having high temperature for preventing heat damage, the active aero flap apparatus uncovers the side end of the main muffler, and, as such, vehicle-induced wind passes through the side end of the main muffler.
Description of Related Art
Generally, an undercarriage is mounted at a lower part of a vehicle. The undercarriage functions to protect components mounted at the lower part of the vehicle, such as an engine and a transmission, and to prevent introduction of foreign substances into the vehicle through the lower part of the vehicle during driving. Furthermore, the undercarriage absorbs or blocks noise generated by the vehicle, particularly, noise from the engine and transmission. The undercarriage importantly functions to block transmission of noise from the vehicle. In addition, the undercarriage is mounted to improve aerodynamics of the components in the lower part of the vehicle, which is one of major factors in determining fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
However, in terms of a high temperature exhaust system (a muffler) mounted at the lower part of the vehicle, when the undercarriage covers the high temperature exhaust system, the exhaust system is not naturally cooled due to blocking vehicle-induced wind. Thus, heat damage may be generated, and, as such, the high temperature exhaust system should be exposed from the undercarriage.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, as a gap between a muffler and a rear bump at the conventional vehicle is spaced enough to induce vehicle-induced wind to pass through the gap during high speed driving, thereby preventing heat damage generated from the muffler.
However, a structure for prevention of heat damage according to the conventional vehicle has a problem in that aerodynamics loss is generated by introduction of vehicle-induced wind during a section for prioritizing fuel efficiency.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.